Shop consignment stores for discounted, designer gifts

Style Encore franchise owner Carolyn Rivera says her store is not the typical thrift shop. They carry everything from Banana Republic to Burberry.”High-quality clothing for a fraction of the retail pricing,” Rivera said. “We highly vet our products before they come onto the floor so a mark, a scratch, a stain, a snag — it’s not going to be purchased by us.”

At the store, located at 11621 S. Cleveland Avenue in south Fort Myers, WINK found items like Lilly Pulitzer shorts with new tags for $33 instead of $64, a Tory Burch tote for $100 instead of $300, and a Ralph Lauren vest for $20.

In Collier County, try shopping at True Fashionistas, owned by Jennifer Johnson.

“It’s a great place to come shopping for Christmas because you never know what you’re going to find,” Johnson said.

Johnson said her store is flush with inventory and items are selling soon after they arrive.

“People are really embracing going green,” Johnson said. “There are so many positives that come out of resale.”

You can score a piece of clothing for up to 90% off the retail price, but designer bags and wallets tend to keep their value. For example, WINK found a Louis Vuitton wallet on sale for $430. New, a similar model would go for $570.

When shopping at consignment stores keep in mind their return policy.

Both stores will take back clothing with tags and receipts. True Fashionistas return window is five days, but they will not take back anything discounted more than 35%. Style Encore’s return window is seven days.  Shoes, jewelry and accessories are considered final sale at both stores.